Diabetes UK has lured Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) news group manager Paul McDonald to head its comms department.

As head of press, McDonald leads a team of six and is also responsible for the six-strong web team.

He reports into Mike Hales, director of individual relationships and marketing.

McDonald spent six years at RNIB where he was in charge of the media relations team and led recent campaigns for sight-saving treatments to be made available on the NHS. Prior to this, he wrote for The Sun and other national newspapers on a freelance basis.

McDonald’s predecessor Bill Hartnett left the charity last December and is now ­director of press at The Royal Society. Angela Style, Diabetes UK’s head of campaigning and volunteer development, took on the role in the interim.

McDonald said: ‘Diabetes is the fastest growing long-term condition in the UK and one of the biggest health challenges we face today.

‘Three hundred people are diagnosed with the condition every day; my goal is to push diabetes even further up the news agenda and give it the profile it deserves’.

Diabetes UK recently ­began a tour of the UK called ‘Measure Up’, aimed at ­raising awareness of the condition and highlighting the risks.